Well what a year its been, how it has flown by and now its Christmas, I'm hoping for a much better one this year after one I want to forget last year. Mum and dad were both very ill and a few very hard months followed, my lovely dad passed away in May and its at times like this I really, really miss him. We are all feeling it especially my mum who has also had a hard year with her own health problems but she's getting stronger again now and I really admire her so much for resilience and determination. She's coming up to mine for Christmas dinner which will be lovely as she hasn't been well enough to come here for over a year.
So yes its been a challenging year but there have been some lovely times too, I had an amazing weekend down in Dorset for my River Cottage prize plus a sunny weekend away in Barcelona but also I've had the amazing opportunity for training in a beautiful garden in Leeds and I'm relishing every moment there. Hence why my blogging has dropped off a lot in the last few months as I'm still doing my other job 3 days a week, then gardening for 2 days and usually visiting my mum one day over the weekend so its busy all the time but I'm loving it.
I'm still managing to find some time to get to my allotment though not as often but I've squeezed in a visit today and have really blown the cobwebs away, its wild and windy here, though dry and sunny thank goodness and I know we've got off lightly compared to the South of England and I think Scotland is bearing the brunt of the bad weather now.
You have to have a good memory when you visit your allotment at this time of year as it can look bleak but surprisingly as we have had such a mild autumn/winter so far I've still got some marigolds in flower which add some cheer to the plot. I've also got lots of self-sown Cerinthe which adds colour too. The silver new leaves of the globe artichokes look great too.
As you can see its not been put to bed for winter I've still got a lot to do but today I've been picking my veg for dinner tomorrow. I was determined this year to have some crops over winter and I think I've done quite well, I still have some beetroot left, some of the 'Golden Globe', some celeriac which still isn't very big at all, I've got leeks, parsnips and that Christmas dinner staple some sprouts, they are not the prettiest but I was determined to have some for Christmas day and so I have.
Not quite as good as the ones on Alan's plot next to mine, he of the enormous cabbages. His look fabulous will have to ask him what variety they are. Can you also spot the enormous turnips,I think they are, in front of them!!
I also found a late developing Romanesco cauliflower which is a bonus.
I'm looking forwarding to cooking Christmas dinner tomorrow with my crops.
So I'd better get ready for tomorrow, so just finally I'd like to wish all my fellow blog readers and bloggers a very Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2014.
